Progress 01/01/09 to 12/31/13
Outputs
Target Audience: Target audiences reached during the course of the project include farmers, extension educators, researchers, and ag professionals at annual project-specific and experiment station field days; and middle- and high-school teachers at a teacher workshop. Researchers and ag advisers were reached at scientific meetings, including oral and poster presentations at the American Society of Agronomy meetings, the Western Soil Science Society meetings, the Western Nutrient Management Conference, and the Great Plains Soil Fertility Conference. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? The project funded two graduate students (one masters and one PhD) and leveraged funding for projects that funded five additional graduate students (three masters, two PhD) and two post doctoral research associates. We hired an entry-level project manager who received professional development during the project. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Results have been disseminated to several communities of interest, including producers and ag educators via bulletins, popular press articles, field days, advisory committee meetings, and an organic farming workshop; soil science and agronomic researchers via publications and presentations in scientific venues; ag and science teachers during our teacher workshop. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Goal 1 was accomplished and results of soil and economic analyses reported in scienctific journal articles, both published and in press. Goal 2 was accomplished through project-specific field days, presentations at field-station field days, popular press and ag experiment station bulletin articles, and a joint organic farming conference held on February 22, 2014. Goal 3 was accomplished by holding a K-12 teach workshop on-site at the experiment station in which key regional science teachers and education professors learned about the scientific process and outcomes used to explore sustainable agriculture for this project. Material on the process and outcomes of the project was also incorporated into graduate and undergraduate courses in ag economics and agronomy. Not all the outputs have been produced, but we have developed scientific publications, extension bulletins, and workshop/conference materials. We developed a project Web site and continue to develop extension bulletins that will lead to decision-making guidelines for producers. Participating K-12 teachers and university instructors have developed or modified curriculum materials based on the project. The project also leveraged two other NIFA-funded projects that continue to fulfill these goals.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Ghimire, R., J. Norton, and E. Pendall. 2014. Alfalfa-grass biomass, soil organic carbon, and total nitrogen under different management approaches in an irrigated agroecosystem. (in English) Plant Soil 374:173-184.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Ghimire, R., J.B. Norton, U. Norton, J.P. Ritten, P.D. Stahl, and J.M. Krall. 2013. Long-term farming systems research in the central High Plains. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems 28:183-193
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Ghimire, R., and J.B. Norton. 2013. Nitrogen Dynamics in Conventional, Reduced Tillage and Organic Irrigated Systems: Results of a Four-year Experiment in Wyoming. Proceedings of the Western Nutrient Management Conference, March 7-8, 2013, Reno, Nevada
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Submitted
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Ghimire, R., J.B. Norton, P.D. Stahl, U. Norton. 2014. Soil Microbiotic Properties under Irrigated Organic and Reduced-Tillage Crop and Forage Production Systems. Provisionally accepted. PLoS ONE.
- Type:
Theses/Dissertations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Ghimire, R. 2013. Soil organic matter and soil microbial communities in long-term and transitional crop and forage production systems in eastern Wyoming. PhD Dissertation, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming.
- Type:
Theses/Dissertations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Bagnall, J.L. 2013. Conventional, reduced-tillage, and organic cropping systems in southeastern Wyoming: Changes in net revenue and soil organic matter. MS Thesis, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming.
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Progress 01/01/12 to 12/31/12
Outputs
OUTPUTS: During 2012, year 4 of the project, we continued to monitor and sample crop production and soil properties at the 24 irrigated plots, including four blocks (reps) of six treatments consisting of two systems (cash crop and beef calf) by three approaches (conventional, reduced-input, and organic). On the beef-calf plots, mixed grass-alfalfa stands were terminiated and planted to corn as per the original rotation plan. Cash-crop plots were planted to corn (conventional and reduced-input) and dry beans(organic). Economic, agronomic, soil, greenhouse-gas, and weed seed bank data were collected and analyzed as in previous years. Results of the project were disseminated to Wyoming producers via student presentations at the annual University of Wyoming SAREC field day, through articles in the field day bulletin, and at a project field day in September. Results were disseminated to the agricultural systems research and agricultural consultant communities at presentations at the biannual Great Plains Soil Fertility Conference in Denver and the annual meetings of the American Society of Agronomy in Cincinnati, as well as through articles in the GPSFC proceedings and in the journal Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems. PIs J. Norton and U. Norton collaborated with three faculty from the University of Wyoming Science and Math Teaching Center and two eastern Wyoming teachers to initiate planning of a teacher workshop to be held at SAREC in summer 2013. We held a planning meeting at the research site in September at which the group considered ways to integrate science, math, and agriculture in learning activities. PARTICIPANTS: The primary individuals who participated in Year 4 activities include: Dr. Jay Norton (project management and soil sampling design/analyses); Dr. Naomi Ward (molecular microbiology investigations); Dr. Peter Stahl (soil phospholipid fatty acid analyses); Dr. James Krall (grain and forage harvest/analyses); Dr. Urszula Norton (trace gas collection and analysis); Dr. Steve Paisley (livestock component planning); Dr. Dannele Peck (economic data recording and analyses); and Dr. Andrew Kniss (weed seedbank studies). PhD student Rajan Ghimire, funded by the project, collected and analyzed soil samples from transects and from deep cores within each plot. MS student Jenna Bagnall compiled economic data. Project manager Jenna Meeks is responsible for carrying out all operations and managing on-site sample and data collection, farming operations, livestock care and management, providing monthly updates on our project blog site, and other practical aspects of project management. Our field management team includes key PIs plus farmer/advisors from eastern Wyoming and farm management staff of the SAREC farm. This group met in 2012 to tour the plots, review results, and plan inputs, tillage, and management activities for each treatment in the 2012 growing season. Dr. Neil Hansen of Colorado State University gave an invited presentation on the value of long-term research at the project field day. TARGET AUDIENCES: The target audience includes researchers, producers, advisors, and educators involved with agriculture and educating through graduate students. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Because of budget savings and related grant funding the project will continue into a second rotation.
Impacts
Results of four years of monitoring of soil carbon and nitrogen pools, root dynamics, and microbial activity contribute new knowledge about transition from continuous corn to crop rotations under the alternative management approaches. The results have been compiled into peer-review articles, two of which have been conditionally accepted and two more of which are in preparation for submission as part of the PhD dissertation of Rajan Ghimire. We do not have data associated with changes in producer behavior due to our results and dissemination activities, but meetings always generate engaging discussions and great interest in improving soil quality and microbial activity under alternative practices. We believe that the project has generated interest in soil organic matter and soil microbial activity among producers exposed to the project.
Publications
- Ghimire, R., J.B. Norton, U. Norton, J.P. Ritten, P.D. Stahl, and J.M. Krall. 2012. Long-term farming systems research in the Northern High Plains. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems: On-line First: doi.10.1017/S1742170512000208.
- Kelleners, T.J., and J.B. Norton. 2012. Determining water retention in seasonally frozen soils using Hydra impedance sensors. Soil Science Society of America Journal 76:30-50.
- Ghimire, R., J.B. Norton, and P.D. Stahl. 2012. Alternative soil fertility strategies affect seasonal dynamics of soil microbial communities in crop-livestock farming systems. Proceedings Vol. 14: Great Plains Soil Fertility Conference. Denver, CO, March 6-7, 2012
- Ghimire, R., and J.B. Norton. 2012. Labile Pool Soil Organic Matter Response to Transition to Organic and Reduced Input Management in Irrigated Crop and Forage Production. Soil Science Society of America Annual Meetings, October 21-24, 2012, Cincinnati, OH.
- Ghimire, R., U. Norton, and J.B. Norton. 2012. GHG emissions during transition to integrated crop-livestock production systems in eastern Wyoming. Western Soil Science Society Annual Meeting, June 24-26, Davis, CA.
- Meeks, J., P. Bista, R. Ghimire, R. Gebault-King, U. Norton, and J.B. Norton. 2012. The Sustainable Agriculture Systems Project at SAREC. Reflections Magazine, University of Wyoming College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
- Norton, J.B., R. Ghimire, U. Norton, J. Meeks, S. Paisley. 2012. The Sustainable Agriculture Systems Project. 2012 Field Days Bulletin, University of Wyoming Agricultural Experiment Station.
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Progress 01/01/11 to 12/31/11
Outputs
OUTPUTS: During 2011 we continued to monitor and sample crop production and soil properties at the 24 irrigated plots, including four blocks (reps) of six treatments consisting of two systems (cash crop and beef calf) by three approaches (conventional, reduced-input, and organic). Beef-calf plots were maintained in forage for hay production. Cash-crop plots were planted to sugar beets(conventional and reduced-input) and corn(organic). All inputs, labor, and yields were recorded for economic analysis and compilation of economic data was initiated by new MS student Jenna Bagnall. Grain and forage samples were analyzed for quality parameters. Weed-seed-bank analysis was carried out for samples collected in spring and will be repeated each year. Soil samples were taken four times (April, June, August, September) along permanent sampling transects in each plot. Samples were analyzed for soil physical, chemical, and biological parameters described in the proposal. In 2011 we added a dryland wheat production component to the project via a NIFA-Organic Transitions Project. In conjunction with that, we initiated collection and analyses of trace-gas each 2 weeks from all the plots to compare emissions of methane, nitrous oxide, and carbon dioxide from the treatments and to provide data for extrapolation via the Century model. The livestock component was modified following a producer meeting in which we redesigned this component into yearling operations under the three approaches to provide more reliable data. The project will continue past the end date via funding from the NIFA grant. Results of the project were presented at meetings, in a review paper, and at regional producer meetings. PARTICIPANTS: The primary individuals who participated in Year 2 activities include: Dr. Jay Norton (project management and soil sampling design/analyses); Dr. Naomi Ward (molecular microbiology investigations); Dr. Peter Stahl (soil phosolipid fatty acid analyses); Dr. James Krall (grain and forage harvest/analyses); Dr. Urszula Norton (trace gas collection and analysis); Dr. Steve Paisley (livestock component planning); Dr. Dannele Peck (economic data recording and analyses); and Dr. Andrew Kniss (weed seedbank studies). PhD student Rajan Ghimire, funded by the project, collected and analyzed soil samples from transects and from deep cores within each plot. MS student Jenna Bagnall compiled economic data. Project manager Jenna Meeks is responsible for carrying out all operations and managing on-site sample and data collection, farming operations, livestock care and management, providing monthly updates on our project blog site, and other practical aspects of project management. Our field management team includes key PIs plus three farmer/advisors from eastern Wyoming and farm management staff of the SAREC farm. This group met twice in 2011 to plan inputs, tillage, and management activities for each treatment in the 2010 and 2011 growing seasons. TARGET AUDIENCES: The target audience includes researchers, producers, advisors, and educators involved with agriculture and educating through graduate students. Effort to engage the target audiences in 2011 included presentations at the SAREC field day, a project workshop for Wyoming and Nebraska researchers, and presentations at scientific meetings. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Poor performance of the cow-calf component as originally planned due to low pregnancy rates in the small treatment groups led to modification of the livestock component starting in 2011. We changed to yearling operations in which 8 calves for each of the three production approaches are selected from the SAREC base herd at weaning time and then treated as designated for each approach under a plan developed with our producer advisory group. Advantages of this modification are: 1) the 24 calves entered into the program can be selected for genetic, gender, and birth date similarity, assuring a constant number of comparable animals in each group; 2) the yearling operation allows over-winter grazing on residues of the irrigated plots in a manner representative of area livestock operations; 3) not having stock cows under the management of the project simplifies logistics, allowing more meaningful data collection on animal performance, economics, and impacts of animals on soils in the plots. Supplement grants and a planned no-cost extension of this grant will allow us to collect data for at least four years under this approach.
Impacts
Results of soil analyses after three years of monitoring soil biochemical parameters continue to show that the reduced-input approach, which includes conservation tillage techniques, have increasing amounts of labile organic carbon in soils, likely due to conservation of soil organic matter normally lost during more frequent disturbance under organic and conventional management. This rapid response to changes in tillage practices caught the interest of producers at project field days and is helping to encourage transition to conservation tillage practices. The research framework represented by this study, with well documented baseline plots in conventional, reduced-input, and certified organic production, continues to facilitate expanded engagement with producers and to attract additional research grants, including projects that extend and expand upon the current work.
Publications
- Ghimire, R., and J.B. Norton. 2011. Soil organic matter changes with transition to organic and reduced input crop-range-livestock production: First and second year results. Soil Science Society of America Annual Meetings, October 17-19, 2011, San Antonio, TX.
- Ghimire, R., and J.B. Norton. 2011. Soil carbon stocks under winter wheat cropping systems. Western Soil Science Society Annual Meeting, June 20-21, Laramie, WY.
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Progress 01/01/10 to 12/31/10
Outputs
OUTPUTS: During 2010 we continued to monitor and sample crop production and soil properties at the 24 irrigated plots at our Sustainable Agriculture Research and Extension Center (SAREC) near Lingle, Wyoming, on 36 acres beneath one half of a center-pivot sprinkler. The plots include four blocks (reps) of six treatments consisting of two systems (cash crop and beef calf) by three approaches (conventional, reduced-input, and organic). Cash-crop plots are one acre in size and beef-calf plots are two acres in size. Soil samples were taken four times (April, June, August, September) along permanent sampling transects in each plot. Samples were analyzed for soil physical, chemical, and biological parameters described in the proposal. Beef-calf plots were maintained in forage for hay production. Cash-crop plots were planted to corn (conventional and reduced-input) and maintained in 2nd-year alfalfa (organic). All inputs, labor, and yields were recorded for economic analysis. Grain and forage samples were analyzed for quality parameters. Weed-seed-bank analysis was carried out for samples collected in spring and will be repeated each year. The livestock component was initiated by breeding 24 cows from the SAREC herd through artificial insemination. Eight cow-calf pairs were assigned to each production approach. The farmer-advisory group met and reviewed 2010 progress and planned crops and inputs for the 2011 growing season. Initial results and objectives were presented at the SAREC field day. Project manager Cody Molle resigned from the project in 2010 and we hired Jenna Meeks in January 2011. PARTICIPANTS: The primary individuals who participated in Year 2 activities include: Dr. Jay Norton (project management and soil sampling design/analyses); Dr. Naomi Ward (molecular microbiology investigations); Dr. Peter Stahl (soil phosolipid fatty acid analyses); Dr. James Krall (grain and forage harvest/analyses); Dr. Bret Hess (overall administration and livestock component planning); Dr. Dannele Peck (economic data recording and analyses); and Dr. Andrew Kniss (weed seedbank studies). PhD student Rajan Ghimire, funded by the project, collected and analyzed soil samples from transects and from deep cores within each plot. Project manager Jenna Meeks was hired in January 2011 with project funds as the on-site project manager. Jenna is responsible for carrying out all operations and managing on-site sample and data collection, farming operations, livestock care and management including artificial insemination and calving, providing monthly updates on our project blog site, and other practical aspects of project management. Our field management team includes key PIs plus three farmer/advisors from eastern Wyoming and farm management staff of the SAREC farm. This group met twice in 2010 to plan inputs, tillage, and management activities for each treatment in the 2010 and 2011 growing seasons. TARGET AUDIENCES: The target audience includes researchers, producers, advisors, and educators involved with agriculture and educating through graduate students. Effort to engage the target audiences in 2010 included a presentation at the SAREC field day and a presentation at the Project Director's meeting in Washington DC. Other efforts are planned for 2010 as described in the project proposal. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Results of soil analyses after two years of monitoring soil biochemical parameters show that the reduced-input approach, which includes conservation tillage techniques, have increasing amounts of labile organic carbon in soils, likely due to conservation of soil organic matter normally lost during more frequent disturbance under organic and conventional management. This is a more rapid response to changes in tillage practices than we expected and indicates that the reduced-input approach is rebuilding SOM lost during many decades of intensive tillage. The development of a research framework with well documented baseline plots in conventional, reduced-input, and certified organic production has attracted additional research totaling over $1.5 million in grants, including one project that extends the current work and adds greenhouse gas monitoring and a dryland crop component to the study.
Publications
- Ghimire, R., and J.B. Norton. 2011. Management Approaches Affect Soil Organic Matter and Mineral Nitrogen In Dry Land Wheat Based Rotations of Wyoming. Western Society of Soil Science, Laramie, Wyoming, June 2011.
- King, R.G., J.B. Norton, J.Ritten, E. Arnould, M. Press. 2011. Novel Soil Amendments and Their Efficacy In Organic Farming In the Intermountain West. Western Society of Soil Science, Laramie, Wyoming, June 2011.
- Norton, J.B., E. Arnould, G. Franc, B. Hess, J. Hewlett, T. Kelleners, A. Kniss, J. Krall, A. Latchininsky, D. Mount, G. Paige, S. Paisley, D. Peck, M. Press, B. Rashford, P. Stahl, N. Ward, and D. Wilson. 2010. Economic and environmental sustainability of conventional, reduced-input, and organic approaches on western crop-range-livestock farms. USDA-AFRI Agricultural Prosperity for Small and Medium Sized Farms Program Project Director's Meeting, September 15-17, Washington, DC.
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Progress 01/01/09 to 12/31/09
Outputs
OUTPUTS: During 2009 we established 24 irrigated plots at our Sustainable Agriculture Research and Extension Center (SAREC) near Lingle, Wyoming, on 36 acres beneath one half of a center-pivot sprinkler. The plots include four blocks (reps) of six treatments consisting of two systems (cash crop and beef calf) by three approaches (conventional, reduced-input, and organic). Cash-crop plots are one acre in size and beef-calf plots are two acres in size. Permanent sampling transects were established in each plot and soil samples taken four times (April, June, August, September). Samples were analyzed for soil physical, chemical, and biological parameters described in the proposal. Beef-calf plots were planted to forage for hay production. Cash-crop plots were planted to beans (conventional and reduced-input) and alfalfa (organic). All inputs, labor, and yields were recorded for eventual economic analysis. Grain and forage samples were analyzed for quality parameters. Weed-seed-bank analysis was carried out for samples collected in spring and will be repeated each year. The farmer-advisory group met and reviewed 2009 progress and planned crops and inputs for the 2010 growing season. Initial results and objectives were presented at the SAREC field day. Arrangements for carrying out the livestock component, including obtaining bred cows and rangeland pastures for summer grazing, were made. PARTICIPANTS: The primary individuals who participated in Year 1 activities include: Dr. Jay Norton (project management and soil sampling design/analyses); Dr. Naomi Ward (molecular microbiology investigations); Dr. Peter Stahl (soil phosolipid fatty acid analyses); Dr. James Krall (grain and forage harvest/analyses); Dr. Bret Hess (overall administration and livestock component planning); Dr. Dannele Peck (economic data recording and analyses); and Dr. Andrew Kniss (weed seedbank studies). PhD student Rajan Ghimire, funded by the project, collected and analyzed soil samples from transects and from deep cores within each plot. Project coordinator Cody Molle was hired in May 2009 with project funds as the on-site project manager. Cody is responsible for carrying out all operations and managing on-site sample and data collection, farming operations, livestock care and management including artificial insemination and calving, providing monthly updates on our project blog site, and other practical aspects of project management. Other PIs and partners on the project will become more active as extension, education, and additional research activities are implemented in Year 2. Our field management team includes key PIs plus three farmer/advisors from eastern Wyoming and farm management staff of the SAREC farm. This group met twice in 2009 to plan inputs, tillage, and management activities for each treatment in the 2009 and 2010 growing seasons. TARGET AUDIENCES: The target audience includes researchers, producers, advisors, and educators involved with agriculture and educating through graduate students. Effort to engage the target audiences in 2009 included a presentation at the SAREC field day and a presentation at the Project Director's meeting in Milwaukee, WI. Other efforts are planned for 2010 as described in the project proposal. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Establishment of the plots on the SAREC farm has stimulated engagement of area producers and discussion of the three approaches to farming in the western high plains region among producers, educators, and researchers. These discussions are raising awareness of the experiment and will lead to participation in extension and education programs planned for year 2 (2010).
Publications
- Norton, J.B., E. Arnould, G. Franc, B. Hess, J. Hewlett, T. Kelleners, A. Kniss, J. Krall, A. Latchininsky, D. Mount, G. Paige, S. Paisley, D. Peck, M. Press, B. Rashford, P. Stahl, N. Ward, and D. Wilson. 2009. Economic and environmental sustainability of conventional, reduced-input, and organic approaches on western crop-range-livestock farms. USDA-AFRI Agricultural Prosperity for Small and Medium Sized Farms Program Project Director's Meeting, July 26-27, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
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